Dropbox CEO Warns Apple Users Against Getting Locked Into iCloud

Apple’s iCloud service hasn’t been perfect, but it’s performed fairly well since its debut in 2011.

Dropbox’s CEO on the otherhand thinks that Apple’s users really shouldn’t get too invested into the data-synching service, because it will probably hurt them in the long run.

Speaking at Mobile World Congress, Dropbox CEO Drew Houston criticized Apple and said that Cupertino’s self-interested thinking is stifling progress. Houston’s biggest criticism against Apple is that they refuse to make an Android or PC version of iCloud, which means that if users want to keep their data, they’ll have to keep buying Apple products.

Apple tried to buy Dropbox back in 2009 but Houston refused the offer. It seemed like a boneheaded move at the time because many saw Dropbox’s cloud services as as just a feature rather than a staple product. However, Dropbox sees itself more as a platform liberator.

During his MWC address, Houston said that proprietary cloud services like Apple’s iCloud impose “bizarre limitations” on what users can do. Yes, you can keep your data on your iPhone synched with your iPad, but what happens when you buy a Samsung smartphone?

“There will never be an engineer in the Apple cafeteria who’s like, hey I made the Android version of iCloud. You shouldn’t have to care about the logo on the back of your phone or computer, it should just work with everything you have. That’s the kind of limitation we want to help remove for people.”

Houston made sure to point to Dropbox’s partnership with Samsung as evidence that an open cloud service is beneficial to everyone. He also thinks that Apple and Google will eventually catch on and converge their platforms, but we wouldn’t hold our breath.

The CEO of a company talking smack about a competitor. Totally unbiased advice of course.

robert_walter

Dude is just whistling past the graveyard.

I’m surprised he didn’t take a shot at Evernote for their data breach.

VirtualVisitor

SugarSync is miles better. Tried DropBox, buggy and unreliable, limited in many ways.

_toddbloom

“Yes, you can keep your data on your iPhone synched with your iPad, but what happens when you buy a Samsung smartphone?” Um, that would never happen because I have common sense and would never go near that terrible company just like I would never touch Android or Google with a ten-foot pole.